1908–09 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team
| 1908–09 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Independent |
| 1908–09 record | 1–4 |
| Head coach | George Corneal |
| Captain | J. P. Wilson |
| Home arena | Waterman Gymnasium |
The 1908–09 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team represented the University of Michigan in intercollegiate basketball during the 1908–09 season. The team played its home games at Waterman Gymnasium and compiled a record of 1–4. The team won Michigan's first intercollegiate basketball game, and played in its first overtime game, defeating Oberlin College, 27–25, on January 16, 1909. Carl Raiss won the game in overtime with "a difficult goal from the middle of the field." At the end of the season, basketball was discontinued at Michigan for the next eight years. Although the 1908–09 team played only two home games, low attendance and poor conditions at Waterman Gymnasium were cited as the reasons for terminating the basketball program.
George Corneal, at age 25, served as Michigan's first basketball coach during the 1908–09 season. Corneal had been hired in 1907 as the assistant in physical training at Waterman Gymnasium. He spent only one year at Michigan and later served for 33 years as a football, track, and basketball in Wisconsin. Joseph Wilson was the team captain.Henry H. Farquhar was the team's leading scorer with 48 points (12 field goals and 24 free throws) and average of 9.6 points per game.
In its January 1909 issue, The Michigan Alumnus announced: "For the first time in the history of the University there is to be a varsity basketball team. Realizing the demand for an indoor winter sport and the presence of good material in college, the athletic authorities passed a resolution providing for a basketball team and granted them a schedule of seven or eight games for the season." The Alumnus observed that basketball had become "almost a major sport" in many leading colleges, and its recognition as a varsity sport at Michigan was "greeted with approval by students and alumni alike."
Head coach George Corneal had difficulty finding players who were eligible for the team. Stanley Cox was "easily the best known basketball man" at Michigan, and he had been recruited by several big eastern colleges. However, Cox was ruled academically ineligible to play.
Michigan's first intercollegiate basketball game was played on Saturday, January 9, 1909, against Michigan Agricultural College at "the local gym" in Lansing. The Aggies won the game, 24-16. The Michigan Alumnus wrote that the loss was due to Michigan's "inability to locate the basket." The Wolverines scored only four goals from the field, one each by H. H. Farquhar, F. C. Wilson, Raiss, and Ely. Farquhar scored ten of Michigan's 16 points on one goal from field and eight goals from foul. Michigan's starting lineup in the opening game was Farquhar (left forward), Wilson (right forward), Raiss (center), Peck (left guard), and Ely (right guard).
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